My background is in behavioural ecology with a research focus on marine mammals. I worked in academia and government for 10 years on a broad range of species and locations including with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Endangered Species Program, Weddell seal research at McMurdo Base Antarctica (US Antarctic Division), and I have also lectured and demonstrated field practicals for LaTrobe University’s zoology department on species from insects to higher order vertebrates.

I then moved into supporting industry projects, primarily mining, in addressing impacts associated with large development projects…. working to identify mitigation and management measures on biodiversity.

I began engaging with conservation dog handling because I believe in the opportunities in application to development projects. I am working to build my conservation and industry impact skills into the earlier part of my ‘pre-career’ when I worked with dogs and training captive pinnipeds prior to completing my PhD.